Sir Peter Blake, a leading figure in the art world, and often referred to as the ‘Godfather of British Pop Art’, had been commissioned by Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group to create a collage which would cover Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London’s iconic façade during part of the hotel’s comprehensive phased renovation.
The immense collage entitled Our Fans, has been created to provide an eye-catching diversion along Knightsbridge. ‘Our Fans’, the largest artwork Sir Peter Blake has ever created, is a collage of 100 prominent faces, from Morgan Freeman and Helen Mirren to Joanna Lumley and Jenny Packham. All are regular guests at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London as well as fans of the Group’s hotels around the world.
The collage has become Blake’s trademark format and one that he has returned to time and again over the years. “This artwork was very different to my usual way of working”, he said. “A collage is very time consuming and laborious, but this was more a matter of arranging the figures and making them work together – making sure no one had a cut-off shoulder or missing legs – that’s the skill of it. It was an amazing project to work on. Hopefully, people passing by will try to spot celebrities they recognise,” he added.
Displayed prominently on the front of the building, this striking work is a visual treat. “We are delighted to showcase this original piece by such a talented artist in London, the home of our European flagship hotel,” said Jill Kluge, Group Director, Brand Communications, Mandarin Oriental. “Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park is part of the fabric of London life, and this exciting renovation project is designed to confirm it as one of the leading luxury hotels in the world. Sir Peter Blake’s artistic masterpiece not only pays tribute to the city, but also celebrates the Group’s global reach, in a truly original way,” she added.
Mandarin Oriental’s creative advertising agency, LONDON advertising, created the concept of the poster.
Fun Facts about ‘Our Fans’
This piece of art is the size of 38 double decker buses at 70.7m wide and 24.88m high. It weighs over 1055kg and has taken over 10 hours to install. Morgan Freeman, Sir Peter Blake, Sir Paul McCartney are over 15 metres tall. All the confetti pieces are made up of small multi-coloured fans.
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